Matt Leinart

Matt Leinart might have thrived in the big city lights of New York, but there is not question that this pretty boy needs to be in the sun of the west coast.

In the 2006 NFL Draft, Leinart was passed by several teams, including the New York Jets, Oakland Raiders and Detroit Lions before being chosen by the Arizona Cardinals with the ninth overall pick.

The former Heisman Trophy winner out of USC was supposed to groom under veteran Kurt Warner his rookie year in ‘Zona. But after Warner failed to generate much hope in the dessert, Leinart was inserted into his first NFL game Week 4 against the Atlanta Falcons. He went six for nine for 54 yards was also sacked and threw an interception.

The numbers didn’t matter, however, because Leinart never tasted the bench the rest of the season.

While he suffered ups and downs like any rookie, Leinart convinced many that he is a future star in the league. In 12 games, he threw for 2,547 yards, 11 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a quarterback rating of 56.8. With a bevy of weapons at his disposal – including running back Edgerrin James and wide outs Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald – Leinart was ready to embark on his first full season as a starter. However, a fractured collarbone in Week 5 cost him virtually the entire 2007 season.

Rotoworld Player Page: Matt Leinart
Rotoworld.com has some of the best fantasy reporting and advice on the web. Click on the “Previous News” tab to get current and past information on Matt Leinart for your fantasy football team.